Coonan Semi-Auto Pistol Shoots .357 Magnum Cartridge
Coonan Inc. offers an interesting new handgun, a single-stack semi-auto that fires the .357 Magnum rimmed cartridge. Though the Coonan pistol is similar in appearance to a m1911, it has a linkless barrel, and a pivoting trigger. To feed the rimmed cartridges smoothly, Coonin employs a proprietary magazine with an “articulated follower”. This gun is available in both standard and compensated versions. With these Coonan pistols you can shoot a very powerful defensive round that has a much higher velocity and up to 80% more energy than a .45 ACP. You can also shoot .38 Specials (with a different spring).
The .357 Magnum is a very effective self-defense round, offering much higher velocity and energy than the .45 ACP. Consider this, the Coonan can launch 180gr Corbon .357 Mag ammo at 1288 FPS. At that MV, the 180gr bullet delivers 663 ft-lbs of energy. By comparison, a .45 ACP round with a 230gr FMJ running 850 FPS delivers just 359 ft-lbs of energy (at the muzzle). That’s a huge difference — the .357 Magnum delivers nearly 80% more energy (calculated at the muzzle).
The “Coonan Classic” .357 Magnum with 5″ uncompensated barrel starts at $1375.00. For $99.99 more you can get a 5.7″ threaded barrel. For $249.99 more you can get the compensated version. Many other options are offered, such as Black Duracote finish with laser-etched black aluminum grips ($299.99 extra). The gun in the video below features the Digital Camo Duracoat package with milled black aluminum grips ($549.99 extra).
American Rifleman Reviews Coonan .357 Magnum PistolREAD Full Review of Coonan Classic .357 Magnum in American Rifleman “The .357 Magnum cartridge was developed for a revolver where it could headspace off the rim. Traditionally, feeding of rimmed center-fire cartridges is problematic in box-magazine-fed firearms. That problem, however, has been addressed well with the Coonan. The cartridges are staggered, with the rim of each cartridge in front of the one below it in the magazine.” “Although the Coonan’s gripframe is larger than that of a standard M1911 … even those with average-size hands had no trouble reaching the trigger.” “We function-tested the pistol with several different .357 Mag loads, with bullet weights from 125 grains to 180 grains. It ran well with most, but did not function properly with reduced-power ‘personal defense’ ammunition. When the gun was fed full-power .357 Mag ammunition designed for handguns, it ran fine.” |
Coonan Pistol Shoots .38 Special Also
While the Coonan pistol is designed to run with .357 Magnum ammo, the manufacturer says the guns will also shoot .38 Special and .38 +P ammunition, provided a different spring is used. Coonan provides a 10-lb spring for use with .38 Spl ammo. This is used in place of the 22-lb standard spring. (Spring exchange procedure is shown in Video above.) Coonan cautions: “A 10-pound spring is supplied with the firearm for use with .38 Special ammunition. We recommend using .38 +P or .38 Special ammunition. The firearm may not cycle with .38 Special ammunition until broken in (approximately 200 rounds).”
Shades of the 1970’s at the Gunnery in Burnsville when Coonan first produced a compensated .357 race gun, over in St.Paul. They even converted the magazines from my S&W 59,??39?? whatever to handle 6 rounds so I could shoot that upstart game IPSC by USPSA.
Bowling Pins were big indoors at the
Gunnery, too. The Coonan was innovative both then and now. John Steffen
Saturday I attended the Washington Arms Collectors monthly show in Puyallup, Washington. I met Dan Coonan there and was fortunate that through a series of circumstances was able to purchase a Classic. This pistol was one I had longed for since the 80s. I would like to congratulate Dan and the whole company in their success.
Thank you for bringing back a fine pistol.
I packed a Coonan 357 Mag Semi-auto as my duty weapon from 1986 – 2009 . I am a Pierce County Deputy Sheriff and I have to say that it was the finest handgun I have ever fired. I usually qualified with 96% or better with it, and the first 5 rounds were from the 50 yard line. The only reason I retired it was that it is worth 4X what the county would give me for it if I got into a shooting and they took it for evidence. I want to thank Dan Coonan for helping protect me on the job for 23 years. Thanks Dan.
John
This company has had it’s ups and downs. Right now, it’s in a down cycle. Possibly due to problems with the gun’s safety switch. I’ve owned two Kadets and they are from the original series of serial #’s. The first one I had was a two screw grip and the one I have now, is the original one screw grip. Both in the low serial # range. Each one has a problem with the safety switch coming out when in battery and the hammer cocked back. Seems like a problem to me. My gunsmith has worked on the first one which I sold, to get a second, earlier issue complete with matching box, etc. Still has the same problem and is in his shop waiting to be worked on.